N.J. nuclear reactor shut down. Here's the reason why

LOWER ALLOWAYS CREEK TWP. -- One of three nuclear reactors in Salem County has been shut down for refueling and maintenance work, an official said.

The Salem 1 unit was taken off-line at 8 p.m. Thursday, according to Joe Delmar, spokesman for the plant's operator, PSEG Nuclear.

"The work performed during this outage will help ensure the continued safe operation of the plant," Delmar said.


The plant had been producing electricity for 389 consecutive days before the scheduled shutdown.

In-house and supplemental personnel will perform more than 20,000 different activities while the reactor is off-line, according to Delmar.

Some of the larger projects include replacing three main power transformers and digital feed system along with inspections of systems, pumps, motors, valves, actuators and seals. Additionally, one third of 193 fuel assemblies in the reactor's core will be replaced with new ones.

Delmar did not say how long Salem 1 would be shut down. Typically, a nuclear plant refueling outage lasts about a month.

Refuelings generally take place every 18 months. Salem 1 was last shut down for similar work in the fall of 2014, according to Delmar.

The other two reactors at the Artificial Island generating complex -- Salem 2 and Hope Creek -- remained operating at full power on Friday.

The three plants comprise the second-largest commercial nuclear generating complex in the U.S. The net electric generation from the three plants is topped only by the Palo Verde facility in Arizona.

Bill Gallo Jr. may be reached at bgallo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow South Jersey Times on Twitter @TheSJTimes.Find NJ.com on Facebook.